Durant: Honestly, I’m at peace. To rank a mood would be tough, but I’m at peace. I’ve gone back and forth with this decision for a while now and I was always told by guys who left the game, if your heart isn’t in it then it’s time to go, so I figured it was that time.

Pedersen: What tipped the scales for you to make this decision today?

Durant: It was a long process. I spoke with Winnipeg before mini-camp. I’ve been down in Atlanta training and my body wasn’t really responding how I wanted it to and I just had a daughter. Being away from her for those three weeks that was really tough for me. I’m sure my new parents could agree with me there, it was just really tough leaving her. And when I got back home and I was back with my family, I think at that moment I realized that being home and watching my daughter grow up was something that I didn’t want to miss. I found out from the wife that she couldn’t come to Winnipeg as much as we had hoped for, so I thought it was best if I just made the decision to stay home and be with my family more.

Pedersen: Has it hit you yet that this will be your first year out of football since you were a little kid?

Durant: I don’t think it’s hit me yet. I think once camp starts and the stories come out and I see the guys taking the field for camp and for the pre-season, I think I may shed a tear or two in that case, but I’m just tired of taking hits. It’s been a great ride for me. I left it all on the field and I’m happy about that.

Mullinder: How hard was it writing that statement?

Durant: It was so difficult. Every year for about the past 25 years I’ve been playing football throughout the spring going into the summer and fall. It just hit me that I wouldn’t be able to do that anymore. I did shed a tear when I was getting that message together. Just being around so many guys like Geroy [Simon] seeing him hanging it up, Barrin Simpson, some of the classiest vets you could ever be around, just being around those guys and seeing them on their way out it helped me out a lot.

Pedersen: Did you feel the outpouring from Riders fans?

Durant: It just melts me. The few messages I have read – for people to care so much about you and for you to bring some of the brightest moments of their life to them, people in Saskatchewan they grow up from the time they’re babies being Rider fans. Their love for that team and that province it carried over into me, I became a part of the province. I became a Saskatchewan guy myself. To hear that from the fans really meant a lot. I’m forever indebted to that community.

Pedersen: You got to play in the new stadium, that must have been a nice way to cap your career?

Durant: It was. I haven’t made a public statement since then but I really appreciate the warm welcome that the fans and the organization gave me when I came back last October. Didn’t know that was going to be my last game but it’s just so fitting that my first and last game as a pro was right there in Regina. The script couldn’t be any better.

Durant: Well, first of all, it’s something that they’ve known. I wouldn’t dare just hang up my cleats and then not let them know. My agent has been in conversations with their general manager for the past three-four weeks now, so they knew that. Secondly, I’m not going to address the bonus situation. I just felt like it was just a situation where I deserve that. I’m going to just leave it at that.

Pedersen: What’s next?

Durant: Family time. First and foremost it’s just family time. I just want to enjoy the family. I have a couple business opportunities that I am mulling over right now, some great opportunities actually that may not be there if I were to play another year. I’m just weighing my options right now.

Pedersen: Will you be in football whether it’s immediately or long-term, is that something that’s in your plans?

Durant: That is something that I definitely want to be a part of. Football is my life. It’s what I’ve been doing since I was a little kid. I definitely will continue to do that going forward.

Pedersen: Any message to the Rider nation?

Durant: I just want to thank Rider nation. I was just a small town kid from South Carolina coming up in 2006 and just being able to grow as a man, not only on the field but off the field, growing up in that community and becoming a part of that community means so much to me. And like I said in my statement, I definitely will have my family back. I still own a home in Regina. I definitely will be there a lot more, it’s going to be great for us. I definitely want to get in the community. I’m building the foundation. I will announce that here in the near future. I just want to thank them for all their love and support. I was glad that I could bring a Grey Cup back to Regina especially in front of the home crowd. I’m just thankful for everyone that supported me and made me into the man I am today.

The guy had a couple of good years on a good team and fizzled out like a candle. He screwed a team big time and expected to STEAL the money and get away with it. He is going to end up with the Roughriders and I hope he never shows his face in Winnipeg.

” I deserve that.” Wow did not think I could lose any more respect for the guy but dammit 3down nation, I stand before you all and tell you I was wrong.
Even if he said he was entitled to it cause that just how the contract was written, I could live with it. Hell I wouldn’t give it back either. But to say he deserves it? Wow!
Oh and Jacka$$, err Durrant. Bombers didn’t say they weren’t aware that you were contimplating. They are saying you announced ur retirement on social media and not to them first…..or at all. Classless Dbag with 0 character! So glad this guy never put on a Blue jesery and stepped on to our field with it!

Durant is a con man maggot He wants to set up some charity. so he can ripoff so me good Sask. people Riders please do not endorse thisscam he says he want’s to ( pay back)he can start with the Bombers!!GO RIDERS GO….

Is it 27 years with out a grey cup? 2 years ahead in the standings. Big deal. How did that work out last year. The Bombers had their ass kicked at home all over field in the semi final. The Riders were a 3rd and 5 stop away from going to the Grey Cup. Against the eventual Grey Cup winner.
Saskatchewan Roughriders have grown to be so much more relevant than the Bombers.
Dressler should retire as well. Before the Bombers offence serve him up another year as bait. LaPo doesn’t care about anyone else anymore. He suedes Dressler how he sees fit. Instead of using him for his strengths.

IF the Riders were better then the Bombers last season, they would have played in a more competative conference. The Bombers could have thrown a game or two, and slid over, but our organization has more class. At least the Bombers don’t fake injuries to slow a game down when they know they are losing. You tried it again in the Banjo Bowl, but ya got caught

He signed the contract and for that they gave him a big fat cheque. Could he have given it back? Sure but he does not have to. I’m still trying to figure what posessed Walters to give him 70G’s after the miserable season he had last year. No other team was interested in signing him.

Frankly, Walters should have kept quiet, this isn’t the first time he tries to drag a player through the mud. He also went public with his negotiations with Muamba recently.

Like a mentor of mine said to me once. You agreed to pay the guy, if you paid too much its on you, not on the guy taking your money.

Good luck to DD. He probably should have hung them up a couple years ago but it is tough to let go of the only thing you’ve ever known.

DanT He signed a contract and so did Winnipeg. It works both ways. Sucks when the player exercises his option to retire and keep the money. Sucks when the team promises a bonus and cuts the player the day before it is due.

Agree DanoT. DD did NOTHING for the Bombers to deserve what they paid him. And obviously the Als didn’t think he deserved any more than he’d been paid last season for his less-than-stellar performance.

i don’t agree with your line of thinking, but anyone who thinks the Bombers are totally innocent here need only look back to the dark days of mike kelly and joe mac – they did the same thing to Kevin Glen. Just HATE that it’s durant… that overrated princess with the IQ of potato. Can’t believe Walters signed him in the first place… serves us right to some degree.

Exactly, larry,and the irony gives me belly laughs, because the BB late hit put him out of the game, and the season, and aborted his career. Sometimes, what goes around, comes around. AND, even if it was someone else, playing for ANY TEAM, I would still applaud him for sticking it to teams, who always stick it to the players. BANG ON LARRY !

I agree 100%. Unfortunately in the CFL this happens to players all the time. This his signing bonus. Good luck in retirement. All the best to Darian Durant and his family. Thanks for all the thrilling football and good memories. A classy person through and through.

Never did respect Durant…way too over-rated; like the Sliders team. Definitely a CLASSLESS move by Durant. I also remember when Durant threw his teammates “under the bus” for his poor performance several seasons ago when the Sliders went through one of their many long losing skids. Durant has always been a whiner; as Paul Bomber so eloquently states in this thread above, Durant is truly a: “Princess Punk”. Typical of the Sliders fan base to SUPPORT Durant’s CLASSLESS move. Justifies dislike of both Durant and the Slider fan base; and Slider fans wonder why the fans of other CFL teams have disliked Durant, the Sliders, and their fan base.

A lions fan calling the Roughriders Sliders! That is such an oxymoron. No better yet trust a Moron.
BC didn’t even make the playoffs. This lionsfan4life reminds me of a virus like HIV calling the cold snotty. Talks about class when he himself is probably one of the top 3 classless commenters on here. Plus the dudes been that way since for more than10 years. Use to post back when TSN offeredcomments. Hasn’t grown up even a year. Some people never mature. Put that dude right at the top of that list.

“BC fan update” it is doubtful that you are really a Lions fan…just another lowly educated classless Slider fan in disguise. I have not posted as Lionsfan4life for 10 years. Secondly, if you actually take the time to read the posts about the Lions you would know that I often post original comments about Lions matters WITHOUT commenting about the Sliders. The post on the Kevin Elliot signing is one example. if you were really a Lions fan you would have read this post and know this to be true; which is one reason why I know that you are NOT a Lions fan, but instead another lowly educated, classless Slider fan.

Also “BC fan update. I do NOT take shot at other CFL teams or their fan bases. I only take shots at the Riders a.k.a. Sliders because the Riders are the CFL’s oldest franchise with the WORST or LOWEST Championship (Grey Cup) wins. 4 Grey Cup wins only in approximately 105 years, yet have the most arrogant team and arrogant and classless fan base in the whole CFL. These are the reasons why I take shot at the Sliders and NO other CFL team or their fan base.…and BTW (if you have not realized), I am not the only CFL fan to do so.

I’ve read your comments about Riders intelligence a few times now. This must be a sore spot for you. It’s ok, we don’t judge you for your lack of intelligence and education. In Rider nation we are very open and accepting of everyone, even those who aren’t as educated and intelligent as we are!

And you are stupid, too. How many GCs have the leos won in 105 years? You say, they haven’t been in the league that long. True enough. And the West was not invited to play in the GC 105 years ago. Including the West’s exclusion and the war years, maybe 80 years, or so.

YOU, 4 LIFE, must be a born liar. When did DD EVER blame his team for a loss. And, was he over-rated when he, pretty much, single-handedly willed his team to win, in the the 2013 semi, over your Leos? He RAN for 97 yards, and threw not a single interception in all 3 post-season games, including the GC. That will stand in the annals of history.

I notice like the rest of the rider fan how much bashing we take and the derogatory term sliders used liberally. Yet any story on the riders brings out the trolls in droves like hyenas after some carrion. By far the most responses , I just looked at the story on the bombers new QB and a smattering of replies , story on lulay lions for life didn’t bother posting . can’t even find a story on the stamps . peterson is the voice of the riders on little ckrm yet everyone seem to know him , trivia name another local CFL voice that calls the games . Seems to me the riders pretty much drive the CFL ship .

You deserve every bit of it. Durant is the classiest player to have worn the green and white colours in at least the past decade – and he just quit on his team without giving notice and after pocketing his 70k bonus. Every other player and fan in Rider Nation is a major step down from Durant’s already low class bar.

Why don’t we talk about Walters and his little fibs that he tells? He should be honest and tell everyone that Durants camp was talking to them awhile back about retiring, they knew and you know it as well. Darian would not have just retired without letting them know in advance, 3DN should be ashamed of themselves how they are spinning this whole story just to get clicks.

Why do you get so rankled by comments about your favourite team/player? I’ve never understood that about people.

Either the comment is the truth or it’s factually incorrect. If it’s the truth, you can’t be upset about reality. You can acknowledge the truth or just STFU and take your medicine, because you cannot argue with facts and reality.

It’s like when people mock the Argos embarrassing crowds and try to throw that in my face. I’m the first one to acknowledge the terrible attendance, so it doesn’t faze me in the least to hear someone else point it out.

But if it’s a factually incorrect comment, then you eviscerate it. Explain in detail why the comment is so laughably false and then in the future remind the poster several times how ridiculous said comment was.

You can’t be serious about being upset over the term “Sliders” being used. An “insult” like that is so weak it’s cringeworthy. That’s something you’d expect from a gas sniff in Winnipeg who’s team has been an abject failure for 28yrs and counting. Or an unemployed hick from Alberta who’s team has had the two greatest Grey Cup chokes in back to back years. Or a down-and-out from Vancouver who’s at the local methadone clinic instead of at the Lions game.

I applaud you Area 51, because you a true football fan, who can appreciate not just your favs, and comment objectively. There are many players who contributed to our great game, and, in the process, beat my team, but kudos them in their retirement, and for entertaining us.

Douche…seems to me like more Slider fan arrogance with your comment that “…the Riders pretty much drive the CFL ship”. Even though the attendance at Lions and Argos games is not as high proportionately as the population within city that the team resides in the fact remains that without the Lions and the Argos the CFL would NOT be able to survive. The fans that do support the Lions and the Argos are just as passionate about supporting the CFL and their home team as Sliders fans.

Yes, Douche. Is that supposed to be Douche Coupe or Deuce Coupe? What exactly is a Duece? Why are the sliders so obsessed with counting? The only relevant # is 4!!! Which could be 5 if it wasn’t for 13. Does it really matter how many trolls gather around a trainwreck?

Loinsfan, argo and loin fans may be just as passionate as rider fans, but there sure are a lot less of those passionate fans than the riders, and thats what really irritates you. Not even 20000 per game came to watch the loins, 3rd worst in the league. Its only when the loins are winning, can they get the fans to come out. Thats not passion, thats fickleness.

AGAIN just a BLODDY HORSE BLEEP disgrace , that type of reporting and writing that these severely brain damaged fools try , freaking to pass off as journalism , bloody TMZ would be disgusted at how these fools write. Taking 3 words taken out of context from an answer giving in a oral interview on CKRM as a direct quote as factual statement reading accepting the contractually agreed bonus !!! Shame DUNK your as classless as your writers , hopefully DD reads this and sues your useless rear off for slander and liable !! definition of character. ya looser!!!!!

Well a story about a ex rider retiring isn’t quite as polarizing as a player on a unnamed team being arrested and no longer allowed in Canada . The only stamp stories I have been reading are players being either arrested , cut for calling out his teammates or retiring (aka , jumping a sinking ship) .

I’ve heard good and not so good opinions on Darian Durant. From what I’ve experienced, I think he’s a class act… dude has had some awesome years and always put on a show when he came to BC Place. He’s battled through some nasty and unforeseen injuries and I think we were all hoping he’d be “lights-out” and turn the Alouettes around. Then to lose his confidence… it was absolutely painful to watch him c*ap the bed everytime he took the field out there.

Then he got cut hours before his bonus… and so getting signed by Winnipeg was a really good thing for him. It would have been a great opportunity without the pressure of being a starter and he could have worked his way back into prime time. I think he made a mistake and leaving the Bombers in the lurch wasn’t a great move.

But I will remember him as a clutch QB who brought the Grey Cup to Saskatchewan… he’ll always be one of the heroes of the CFL! Go and raise that family Darian!

51, Durant’s done. He had trouble completing short passes in Regina before he went to the Als & his flaws were on full display there. Most Rider fans, even NOW, accept that Jones was right in releasing him. He was benched by the Als, the worst team in tne league, for Shiltz & it was painfully obvious he wasn’t going to be asked back long before he was released. Durant realized he wasn’t going to start. I’m not a beliver in Nichols but he’s better than today’s Durant. A useful emergency backup, sure. But Darian never accepted he was part of the problem for that 5 win season but he was. Jones, & I don’t like the guy, knew DD was not going to take him to the top. Look where Jones came from – Mike Reilly. Like him or not he knows leadership when he sees it. Durant’s done. The only thing I will say further about the bonus is this. I have no problem him keeping it because a contract is a contract. But Durant mentioned he’d like to stay in football. It doesn’t help his cause with mgmt & his pride works against him too. He’s not a mentor type. He’s a lot like Burris who sees everyone against him. He refuses to change. Not sure about his future as a coach.

Greenenvy? I agree pretty much with this entire analysis. I didnt have a big problem with jones trading durant, but how jones handled the trade of a fan favourite was boneheaded. I dont see what kind of football future durant has. You are right, hes really not a mentorship kind of guy, and from what i saw of him on the sidelines, he didnt show a ton of interest in coaching. Maybe management. His decison to keep the bonus was a business decision, and football management would respect it as such.

I agree with you rider fan players shouldn’t be able to do this much likes teams shouldn’t be able to cut a player right before a bonus. Having said that it happened a couple times to Jones in his first year but hasn’t happened since, it’s a case of learning from your mistakes, write the contract to protect against this happening, pretty easy actually.

Darian had a bonus due back in Jan. or Feb. and got released prior to it being paid by the Als. He just got some of it back but at the expense of the Bombers. A risk both the team and player takes when they sign such a deal. It works both ways to the benefit or detriment to the team or the players in the CFL as everyone hnows. Best of luck to Darian and his family. He had a very good run in the CFL while it lasted overall.

As a CFL fan, I wouldn’t want to see a situation like this happen to ‘any’ team, arch rival or not. Take the player and the teams out of it – it’s an underhanded and dishonourable move – period. Think of your own beloved teams and if a player made the same move with your team and then ask yourselves how you’d feel about that. I don’t think ANY fan would say “yeah that’s awesome, good move, we love you for that!”

So you are ok with Pro teams doing this to ALOT of players…but not ok when a player does it back. I don’t think its right doing something like this from both sides. But it happens and it sucks…to the player and the team. Sorry Bombers…but DD bleeds green!!!

So what you seem to be saying is because Montreal was classless in cutting Durant to avoid paying him his 150k bonus Durant was justified in his classless decision to take the 75k from the Bombers and THEN retiring shortly thereafter. Classless behaviour is CLASSLESS behaviour notwithstanding the circumstances.

LOINSfan4life and Mr Ed were twins seperated at birth. One was adopted by someone in vancouver, and the other calgary. We really need to get these 2 to meet face to face. They will each finally have someone in their lives who wont run screaming.

I would personally like to thank him for his continued support of our organization. One would think a “lionsfan4life” would possibly have weighed in on the Lulay piece, rather than slagging our crappy old sliders ? Oh well…it ain’t easy being cheesy !

Regarding the accusation that Durant gave the Bombers no notification it’s a case of are the Bombers lying or is DD. according to him in the article above the team was aware he was having a struggle with showing up for another year. Maybe he did not confirm until the last minute but they should not have been surprised.

Also DD stated that his agent had been in fairly constant communication with Walters over a 4-6 week period and in fact did let Walters know about DD decision to retire before DD actually posted on social media . Given how difficult a decision like this probably was and what DD posted ( clearly his heart was still bleeding Rider green as he stated ) posting what he posted took an emotional toll. One could almost speculate that for DD, he just couldn’t bring himself to be totally invested as a Bomber player given his time spent with the Riders!!! Those things sometimes do happen in professional sports, when push comes to shove and ya have to wear the new uniform of one of your chief rivals ya just cant do it !!! with all the full heart passion and commitment you feel is necessary to be at your personal best playing . Not making excuses for DD, just saying it can happen for any pro on any team.

Stamp fans are probably just a bit pleased that DD has retired, thus not playing for a western opponent come playoff time . Given that barring 1 late broken coverage and a flakey desperation toss by Tate, DD would of been 5-0 undefeated vs the Stamps in the playoffs, can ya say STAMP killer and OWNED then in the playoffs, but I am certain Red will see this quite differently as one that never lets reality get in the way of any thing.

Dumb contracts happen s the time and they’re always 100% to blame on a dumb GM decision.

Jim Garoppolo just accepted a ridiculous 5yr/$137 MILLION offer from San Francisco. Did Garoppolo have a responsibility to tell the 49ers that he’s actually just s mediocre QB and this deal is going to set the franchise back by at least half a decade?

Same deal with that no-talent hack Blake Bortles essentially stealing a 3yr/$54 MILLION contract from Jacksonville. The guy isn’t worth $1.8 MILLION a year – – let alone $18 MILLION.

Should these two clowns give back their money when it becomes obvious that they’re both complete frauds?

That is the biggest mystery in this whole scenario. Why was durant offered any kind of signing bonus? There was only team really looking for a backup QB. Winnipeg. Edmonton had already signed Glenn. Is walters that poor a negotiator that he needed an incentive in a one horse race? Was DD already considering retirement at that point and walters threw money at him to change his mind? Anyway you look at it, walters created the situation giving durant the bonus, and now has to live with the consequences.

Read Dave Naylor. It is PLAYERS who demand signing bonuses, not teams. Why do you think Collaros wanted a big chunk of his money upfront? It benefits the PLAYER, not the team. That being said, since teams cut players anytime regardless of length of contract without paying a dime in compensation, good for the players. Their agents are doing this for their benefit. Do you really think Jones wanted to cut Muamba, a National at a position he has to play a National this year? No, of course not. A team wouldn’t put itself in this position on purpose. Players are protecting themselves & guys like Muamba can get work elsewhere. What was Jones going to do with Collaros? He pays the big bonus Hamilton wouldn’t or renegotiates with few cards in his hand. If Collaros doesn’t like the deal he waits him out, gets his bonus or is released & brings bidders, notably Reed, into the picture. Jones risks losing him for nothing. Collaros took less money but ONLY because he got a lot of upfront money & after tax ends up with the same dough anyway. Walters needed a backup, Jones needed Collaros. BOTH had to pay the price. Why does Walters or any GM look like a fool?

Yes, i know its the players agents who most want the signing bonus money, but since the demand for durant was essentially zero aside from winnipeg, they were in a much stronger position to say no to a signing bonus, say performance bonus instead. Managers can also use a signing bonus as an inticement when the overall offer is less than what the player wants, ex: say durant wanted 200k but walters only wanted to pay 170k. So he says , 100k plus 70k guaranteed as a signing bonus. And unlike Durant, Collaros wasnt a free agent, so jones position was much weaker when asking for him to take a paycut. Like you said jones only other choice was to cut collaros. Walters options were much more wide open.

The only way it could have been better is if DD pulled this on the stamps. Huf however is smarter than that and wouldn’t draw up a contract like that, and if he did you can bet he wouldn’t admit to it.

The bombers look like a bush league operation.If I’m Durant keep the 70 grand. Bombers get over it. It’s only 70gs. Get to training camp and field a team.u ain’t the only competition in your city.A certain hockey team is a part of your fair city.

When you are only one of three QB’s to win a Grey Cup in the 118 year history of the Sliders it is understandable why Durant is deemed as a legend in his own mind. A truly mediocre QB who went out a “LOSER”. The only truly legendary Rider QB who is one of the CFL’s all time greats is Ron Lancaster.

Rider history, not Grey Cup history. This is a league of 9 teams, 51, & fans of other teams could care less about Rider intros. This is why you get criticized. Rider fans naturally assume everyone should cheer for them regardless of affiliation. More than a little arrogant.

Yeah….. no we dont. Frankly, we dont care who you cheer for. Why we would we expect an edmonton fan like you to cheer for the riders? I never cheered for edmonton in my life, except recently, and only because i like Reilly, but only when the eskimos are playing against calgary. And i thought you have been on this site long enough to know that Area51 is an Argos fan. I guess it shows just how little you pay attention, and how, like so many on here, your focus is on everything riders. Even your handle, greenenvy?, is an anti-rider sentiment. Youre nowhere near as pathetic as mr ed, but still………..focus more on your own team.

Why do you assume I’m an Esk fan & yes I know 51 is an Argo fan but, like me, comments on other teams & I am responding to his comment re: Riders.He’s allowed to do that, no? As for focusing on other teams, I notice the whole Rider crew was in full force on a # of Stamp articles as well as notably the couple of articles on the Eskimos regarding Mr. Maas. You guys haunt all the sites but are offended if anyone dares hit Rider sites. Don’t be so precious, Lancaster. Train wrecks draw big crowds. Deal with it.

Greenenvy? (1)Then who is your team? Because you mostly post on rider stories. (2) you said to an ARGO fan. “ This is why you get criticized. Rider fans naturally assume everyone should cheer for them…” it is the same as saying “ this is why Rider fans get criticized. You naturally assume …” if you knew he was an argo fan , then the rest of it is nonsensical. (3) as far as being on other articles, certain rider trolls ( mr ed among a few others) manage to bring the riders into every article, and so we respond. Speaking or precious, if you dont want us to respond, then leave us out of it. Hell, mr ed even took a dig about the riders and/or rider fans in a 3down article about the nhl Jets. (4) On this site, train wrecks dont draw big crowds, rider articles do. Why do you think 3down has so many rider articles in the first place? The haters flood rider articles, which is also why 3down plays plays into that with headlines like “ durant …bonus…. i deserve that” or “ rider fans rejoice after durant sticks it to the bombers”. They know its going to get the haters riled up. If the haters are tired of all the press the riders get, then quit encouraging it. Mr ed comments 20 times on rider articles for every 1 post on a stamp article. I dont even know what your team is because you rarely comment on your own team from what i can see.

I post on pretty much all the teams unless the item is not of interest. I bring the Eskimos into the comversation because that is Jones former team & Rider fans keep giving Jones the HC credit for essentially being a GM there. Hervey as GM, like any GM, listens to input on all players being scouted. But the GM makes the final decision. Hervey’s top guys there were Paul Jones & Torey Hunter who he took to BC, not Jones. So it irritates me that the Rider faithful keep putting Jones on a pedestal now he’s in Regina & assume he was a big part of “building” every team he was on. He wasn’t & he should be measured on his success with the Riders as a GM. Rider fans should be on other teams articles. As a fan of the CFL, why shouldn’t all the teams interest me? I don’t go there looking for Rider trolls. What is happening in BC, Calgary, especially Wpg, should be of interest of Rider fans too. I’ll let out this on myself. I work for a National Corporation, have spent time in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary & Edmonton. At various charity events the company gets athletes to show up for autograph sessions & so on such as Children’s hospital foundations. I have had the pleasure of meeting CFL players in particular because they are always giving of their time. So I have been a fan of the CFL teams in those cities while I was there. You may notice that on Rider items I usually don’t get into it until later. A quick look on this article, my 1st post was over 7 hours after the first post. And like Rider fans reacting to Red as you say, I react when I see something I believe to be over the top. It’s a public forum. The fire that feeds them is contoversy. BTW I enjoy your posts & Yup, as well as 51, just to mention a couple off the top of my head. Darren & Leslie, even Red sometime. Admit it, some of the back & forth between Red & the “Red Riders” is very funny.

I do enjoy taking some shots a mr Ed, but I really do believe his obsession is extremely unhealthy. He reads more rider articles than most rider fans do. He listens to Rod Pedersen (daily I think) who I never listen too or read for that matter. Listens to the green zone daily as well. So when I tell him he has deep psychological issues, I really do mean it. I do like a lot of your posts as well. Often very well thought out, and while some rider fans are as bad as you say, I think you broad brush rider fans more than we deserve. There are a number of pretty arrogant stamps fans on here, and your response to them is more measured than your response to similar rider fans. IMO.

Fair enough. I think that’s probably true. I have a very good buddy in Regina but he’s an Esk fan & having visited, but never lived there, I probably have an affinity for cities I’ve stayed in more so than, say Regina or Wpg out west. That’s why I have you & Yup to keep me in line. LOL Enjoy your day. I’m off to golf.

3Down Nation, That is a classless headline tag pulled out of a good interview. If this site had 10% of the class DD has it would be a 100 x’s better site. And if you’d turn that into the math question we’d be rid of lil Red and the class would go up a notch all on its own.

Congratulations to DD on a great career with many cliff hanger moments, good and bad, but what a story they will make one day. Impressed that you kept a home in Regina. A lot of retired students stay in Regina and make a life there. Looking forward to seeing you around town connecting with the community. No other franchise does it like they do here in the smallest city with a cfl team.

What I can’t figure out, is that Durant was not a Rider anymore, was let go from the beloved green, for what.., a bag of footballs. Yet, he does a clearly classless act, and sticks it to an organization that was giving him another shot to turn his career around. Suddingley all these Rider fans come out of the wood work to take a shot at the Bombers? And you call us “trolls?” Nope.., no irony there! Pathetic!!! Why can’t you Pilsner drinkers understand that Durant screwed the Bombers, took the money knowing he was retiring anyways. In January he was all in with the Blue, check out his old Tweets (i.e ” for the W”) Rejoicing in the misfortune of the Bombers makes all of you just as classless as Durant. No wonder why all other team’s fanbases hold Rider fan’s opinions with a grain od salt.

And Rod Pederson.., now there is a rush of hot air! He is nothing but a
far right nazi Rider fan, that spins propaganda all day, and blocks those who disagree with him. Of course Durant woud go to him first.

I don’t mind the comments, and the rivalry (having posted several comments in the Leader Post before Labour Day and Banjo Bowl games), I just believe that Durant should not have wasted the Bomber organization’s time and money (especially when it counts against cap space). The only thing I believe is that Durant did mention to Walters that he was having thoughts of retiring, Walters confirmed that, but what gets me is the way Durant announced formally his retirement. Hate the Bombers all you want, but don’t screw an organization that was giving you a leg up. Say what you want about Walters, and the business side of it (not a fan of Wade Miller at all.., but he is getting sh*t done, as oppose to Joe Mack and the other yahoos), but Mike O’ Shae is a class act. I have huge respect for him, and his decisions, and Durant pretty much sh*tted on him and his new teammates. Yeah, great team guy! To go on Ron Pederson.., was the last straw. Durant did it to par favour with radical Rider fans, and to spread fervor. Makes his comments about doing this for his “daughter,” and other projects, seem hollow. This will definately leave a dark mark on his legacy, and there is many non Bomber fans on here that would agree with me.

Like many Rider players and coaches, many Bomber players and coaches live in the Peg year round. I know it’s hard to see past the watermelon patches of Saskatchewan praire, but we kind of got a culture out here too (if any of you have been following the Jets). The Bombers will bounce back.

I’m confused by many things with this story and the responses.
Any player cut hours before his bonus is due, is by the contract legal, one minute after the deadline it would then become illegal. just to be clear for all who use that as an argument.
If you except a bonus then retire or your cut from the team that too is legal.
I’m also confused by how many Rider’s fans were dirting DD when he signed with the Bombers, who now praise him.

I believe the issue is the timing of DD’s decision to retire. I would rather that DD speaks up now than later more importantly I’m happy DD didn’t continue if his heart wasn’t in it. Perhaps that helps explain last year for DD.
Some people say DD deserves the bonus from the Bombers for various reasons like he was injured while playing the Bombers or DD lost bonus money from other teams, wrong!
DD did this to the Bombers intentionally as some ploy to give the Rider’s a leg up on the Bombers, wrong!
It simply circumstances, it’s his time to choose when he no longer needs, wants or will play football.
Yes it hurts, timing sucks, the money part sucks. So I only have one more thing to state.
Good on you DD for owning your decision, I hope you enjoy your retirement and all future endeavors, enjoy spending time with your wife & family, most important just enjoy you earned it. Congratulations

Lionsfan4life: if you think you know everything about Durant and the Riders, at least get your dam facts right. Durant was one of only FOUR quarterbacks to win a Grey Cup in Saskatchewan. Lancaster in 66, Kent Austin in 89, Kerry Joseph in 2007 and Darian Durant in 2013.
Funny how from 2008 to 2014, no one called Durant “mediocre”. Those years his play was absolutely stellar. He became a hero and a champion with the Riders. To deny that, you either didn’t watch him play or know very little about football. Durant took the team on his back and led them to victory several times, the most impressive being the playoff game against your beloved Lions. Then Durant suffered several injuries and people developed short memories. Chris Jones arrived and labeled Durant as “moderately successful”. Short memories and Jones’ labels should not taint Durant’s achievements. Durant became a starter in 2008, mid way through the season but that was not a good year for the Riders. However, in 2009 and 2010, Durant took the Riders to consecutive Grey Cup appearances. Perhaps, we should label Jones mediocre because he is starting his third year now and had one dreadful year and one year that the Riders had to go through the back door to make the playoffs. Yes, I would say definitely mediocre. Don’t tell me about his need to rebuild. The Rider roster after 2007 was decimated with losing a lot of free agents, retirements and NFL tryouts and bad trades. It took one year from that to making two Grey Cup appearances. Jones has not yet settled on a quarterback. Yes, Collaros, who is 0 and 12 as a starter. A little mediocre, I would say. Plus he is only on a one year contract even if he can turn it around. Durant and the Riders went to three Grey Cups in five years. Can Jones do that? With the revolving roster that he maintains, that is doubtful. Every year, he trades in one overpaid player for another, most of which are past or approaching their best before date. And yet, everyone hangs on his words of “mediocre”.
Durant’s work is in the books. Three Grey Cup appearances in five years speak for themself. Jones’ legacy with the Riders is yet to be written but he has to pick it up if he wants to get to three Cups in five years and join the “mediocre” group. Bear in mind that he is not known to stay anywhere very long. Gets tired of living in a hotel perhaps.
History will judge both but I suspect that Durant will be judged much kinder in ten years time then what some of you are spouting now. Durant will take his rightful place as a Rider icon.

Time for the league or teams to close this loop hole that still allows for a signing bonus but requires eligibility to receive it, i.e. insert language into the contract requiring a player to play ‘x’ amount of games or complete ‘x%’ of the season before they’re eligible to receive their signing bonus. 10 games or 50% sounds about right.

True blue. Exactly right. If you want to own my playing rights ‘right now’ and I want to wait then you offer me money to own my rights ‘right now’. That is what you just bought. BB still own his rights. BB mgmt made that deal for whatever their reasons. They never put in anything to cover the ‘what if’. So he should give it back? Be honest … would you give it back if the deal doesn’t require it? I don’t like the sound of it either … but neither when things are reversed. It’s the ugly side of pro sports.

Slider fans have always had a love hate relationship with their quarterbacks, even as far back as Lancaster. They love them while they ware slider colours, and hate them when they leave. Just look at Smile’n Hank, or Kent Austin (to name few) who went on to be hated by the slider fans just because they had the audacity to leave gangrene. Now that Durant has ‘stuck it to the Bombers” he is a hero again. I don’t fault Durant, he was due the bonus. I just despise the hypocrisy of slider town.

Hey lionfan4life; Can you or atleast someone explain “sliders” comments? Is it autocorrect fixing your horrible 3rd grade spelling? I try to read comments and get thrown off when it seems like a 6 year old wrote it. Then I wonder why a 6 year old is on this site. Try using a pencil to type, your obese sausage like fingers just can’t type. Unless your are 6, then you should quit eating ti-pods.

atleast is 2 words. “read comments” – comments is plural so a 6 year old “has written them” if you refer back to comments. Is ti-pods supposed to be typos?Sliders is just poking fun at Riders. Since you keep asking there it is. Welcome to the forum.

Obviously another uneducated Rider fan with a Grade 4 education that is too stupid to figure out that the term “Sliders” is trash talk used in place of “Riders” by fans of other teams who have a disdain for the Riders due to the CLASSLESS behaviour of some individuals like Duron Durant, Chris Jones, and Duron Cartier, and the arrogant attitude of many fans who support the Riders (as evidenced by the posts of Riders fans on this site).

Hahaha you DUMB and really HORRIBLE at trash talking 🙂 At least YOU have something in common with your sh*tty team…do nothing but “LYIN” thru your tEEth. Did you see what I did there…I can also be CLEVER hahaha I good AT trash talk

Are you dyslexic? The way that you think and communicate through your post indicates that you have dyslexia. This is the only plausible explanation that makes any sense at all regarding your senseless post. There are professionals that can help you. Seek help IMMEDIATELY.

WOW! “Secondly, I’m not going to address the bonus situation. I just felt like it was just a situation where I deserve that. I’m going to just leave it at that.”
Not a Rider nor a Bomber fan. But that is just too pompous and selfish for someone to express. Hubris run amok. What else do you deserve at the expense of someone else?

2013 GC, this bum Durant didn’t win that championship, it was game MVP Kory Sheets who ran roughshod over everyone and anything while carrying the rest of Roughriders on his back to that championship. Durant a selfish me me me guy.

While it is true sheets was the mvp and he ran roughshod over the cats, to say he put the whole team on his back makes me wonder if you watched the game. Durant played his part with 245 yds passing, 26 yds rushing, and 3 HUGE passing tds. As well as John Chick and the defense were in Burris’s face all game. And the riders wouldnt have been in the grey cup game at all if Durant hadnt put the team on his shoulders in the 4th qtr of the wsf against bc. 8 tds, zero ints in the 2013 playoffs. Durant deserves his accolades for that year.

The Lions on defence in that semi-final game could not tackle a pee wee quarterback if he had played in that game instead of Durant. As I recall Durant ran four or five successive times and everyone in the stadium and watching on television knew that the Riders were going to run the ball until the Lions stopped the Riders running plays. The Lions were so bad on defense that the Riders were not stopped. One of the MOST pathetic series of inept defensive displays of football that I have ever witnessed a Lions team ever play on a football field. The Lions were winning that game up until that series of running plays as I recall. So the Riders won that western semi-final not so much because of what Durant did but because of what the Lions on defense FAILED to do; which is to play a basic run defensive scheme and execute it on the field.

I am a Riders fan and the undeserved praise given toward Durant by other Rider fans makes me puke. This move is low rent on a good day but not unexpected when I comes to a clown like Durant who has been given a huge pass for his behavior and lack of talent too many times over the years.
Montreal cut him for a great reason: he sucked and failed to earn his bonus from them based upon his horrific performance for their team. Jones traded away this arrogant journeyman because he knew Durant was not the guy to lead him to success-plus he quit on the team-according to reports about his refusal to start in the last game of ’16. I was happy to see him leave and I’m very unhappy to see fellow Rider fans still back Durant,despite so many obvious flaws in his on-field game and off-field antics. Now I see why cults thrive in the absence of reality or logic.

So why does no one talk about Chris Jones quitting on his teams? Just a few days after winning a Grey Cup in Edmonton, Jones quit on his team to take a new job. He did the same with Calgary. He left there with no notice to join Toronto. In fact, the Argos were fined for that. He will quit on the Riders too because that is what Jones does. Then we will see the hatred turn to Chris Jones.

Kenny M and Take this you both make great points. Kenny M if all Rider fans were as HONEST as YOU the fan bases of other teams would at least respect the Rider fan base rather then hold them in CONTEMPT because of their arrogance and failure to see what is so obvious to everyone else. Unfortunately YOU are one of the FEW Rider fans that see things and are able to evaluate the performance of the team that you support honestly…unfortunately there are TOO FEW Riders fans with your objective attitude around.
Take this. Your point affirms that not only is Durant classless; but Chris Jones too is CLASSLESS; after all Jones has been CAUGFHT CHEATING on several occasions by the CFL. Then you have that CLASSLESS moron Rod Pederson crying a CONSPIRACY by the CFL against the Riders just because Jones got caught. It seems that “CLASSLESS” is pervasive throughout the Riders organization from the players to the coaches. Perhaps this puts into context why so many Rider fans are also CLASSLESS as well. After all, how can it be any other way when you have individuals like Durant and Jones who are so CLASSLESS representing the Riders.

LionsFan. I don’t need your respect and I suspect most other Ridee fans could give a hoot what you’re dumba$$ says about us. The Lions have a weak fan base but hey at least you’re coming in from your dump in Chilliwack to cheer on a crap team.

So a quarterback that played three games with a rating of 149 and makes Kenny puke means that Kenny is honest and realistic? Reality is that a 149 rating for a quarterback is phenomenal but for some reason Kenny cannot admit that. Instead of being proud and happy for a player that did well for several years with his favorite team, he chooses to gripe about his performance after he left the Riders. And that is classy? There is no logic there. No common sense. Durant has more class then the two of you put together and multiplied by 100. Of course 100 x 0 is still 0.

Big Ed: go back and watch the three game playoff run in 2013. It was the most dominant play by a quarterback that the CFL has probably ever seen in a playoff run. If you can’t see that, then you aren’t a real football fan. Sheets was tremendous in the Grey Cup game but if you take the entire playoffs, Durant was absolutely awsum and for those three games, at the very least, Durant was an elite quarterback.
But why would I expect better from a fan base that booed Ron Lancaster? The more things change , the more they stay the same.

Take this…you are absolutely right. 2 playoff games and the GC, and narry a pick…DD’s QB rating over those three games was soething like 149..that was phenomenal…and down, late in the semi, to BC…DD basically ran the ball down the field for the winning score…a QB with 97 yards rushing that game..about 35 of them on that winning drive.
BTW…I was at Ronnie’s last game in Regina…yes, there were a number of disgruntled drunks who booed him…but they were in the minority…still, no excuses, a classless, boorish act. In Ronnie’s final game, sitting on the bench in EDM..a nothing game for EE…the chant went out: “we want Ronnie” later in a game that the Riders were losing, and Ronnie promptly engineered a couple TDs and won the game…to a standing O…IN EDMONTON! Sure, there were Rider fans there, but EE fans showed class. Some fans have that, the hater/trolls on here HAVE NO CLASS. Dissing a great former QB that has given so much to the league is like dissing an opponent player at his funeral…completely boorish, and classless!

Jonny, I will drink to that! If anyone was underhanded, and a liar, it has to be Walters trying to cover his a$$ by trying to make DD look classless, when he was informed that DD was waffling. He made a stupid contract; he pays the price, just like Jones paying Price $80K upfront, and he takes the money and runs. But, good on him…teams deserve to get screwed, because they routinely screw players out of bonuses. Jones paid $80K for his first class GM 101. Walters has been around a lot longer…must be a slow learner.

After reading all the bashing and name calling on here I am hesitant to post but I guess I will. After seeing numerous players cut just before bonuses were due to them I don’t have a problem with a player taking a bonus and retiring. Both are within the rules and it just isn’t as often that a player gets the opportunity. I’m sure the money will come in handy transitioning into retirement.

After browsing the comments on here I’m guessing that the average age of the posters is 15 or less. And if I’m wrong then they need to grow up! The hate being spewed is sickening. And the language of some posters belongs in the garbage.
I quit reading some forums because it was the same people, sounding like 15 yr olds, spilling the same crap over & over. Unfortunately, it appears that some of those people are now posting here or there are more of them than I thought.
I wonder how many of you spewing hate on here would say the same crap in person? Also wonder how many would post under their real name? I wish that all comments had to have a real, verified name. I believe that would stop the majority of these horrible comments.
Its unfortunate that the posters can’t have an honest, straightforward, thoughtful football conversation without resorting to the potty talk that is on here.

I don’t have a problem with a player taking his bonus and retiring. I think the player should have come to that decision a few months ago, not a few days before the opening of training camp. But to announce the retirement on social media without notifying his employer is a truly classless act.

In your mind, Darian, you deserved a bonus……………..from Montreal or Saskatchewan maybe. And your “team” may have spoken with Bombers management, but there was NO confirmed statement, as you promised, to the team.
Couldn’t you have shown more respect, and told us your decision, maybe 2 weeks ago?
Not classy at all!

Wish I could swindle an employer for a $70,000 free lunch. Tainted legacy like his poor play for keeping a signing bonus-ahem, retiring allowance–with no related subsequent performance. If Darian Durant had any class, which he clearly does not, he would pay back the signing bonus. I hope he gets screwed over during the future. Karma.